Charging peel or arm for furnace charging boxes



J. w. FoRsYTHE ETAL 2,349,854

CHARGING PEEL OR ARM FOR FURNACE CHARGING BOXES May 30, 1944.

Filed Oct. 6, 19.42

im@ May so, 1944 l('JHABGING PEEL 0B ABM FOB UBNACE CHABGING BOXES John w. Forsythe, wiikinsburg, and Albert 'r. Reichenbach, Pittlburgh. la.

Application october s, 1942, serai No. issas 3 Claims.

This invention relates to charging mechanism for open hearth furnaces and relates more particularly to an improved charging peel or arm 'which is detachably connected at one end to a \ioaded charging box, which is moved through the door opening and into the furnace, where the charge or load is deposited by inverting the charging box, after which the peel arnrand charging box are withdrawn through `the door opening of the furnace. f

f course, when the peel arm and the charging box with the load therein are moved within a livel furnace, the parts are subjected to intense heat, and the metal parts are subjected to intense stresses and strains due to the expansion and fcontraction resulting from the heating and cooling of the parts. One of the difficulties encountered in prior art practice is that the charging peel or arm was rendered unfit for service by reason of cracks and fractures formed in various parts of the arm that were subjected to the intense heat and high stresses encountered during the operation of lifting and manipulating the loaded charging box. In the practical furnace charging operation, a charging machine and actuating mechanism for the charging peel-or arm are detachably connected to one end of said charging peel orarm, and the entire charging machine is moved along tracks adjacent the furnace door openings; and the other end of the charging peel may be detachably connected to one end of any one of a series of loaded charging boxes that are supported or carried on a truck, which truck in turn is movable on tracks in front of the door opening of the open hearth furnaces.

The detachable connection between one end of the charging peel and any one of a number of the charging boxes is effected by a downward movement of the head poiption of the'peeL into a socket portion so that, after the head portion of the peel arm is positioned within the socket at one endof the charging box, a locking bar is actuated securing the peel arm and the charging .box in a relatively fixed relation in order that the charging box with the load therein maybe lifted and moved within the furnace where the load is deposited. All of these various motions are effected through power forces transmitted from the charging machine through and by means of the charging peel. The various manipulations and .movements effected by and through the peel arm are ofv such a character as to subject the peel arm and its related mecha-4 nism to as many as eight different primary mo..

tions, and a number of resultants of these mo..

f tions.

The Weight of the' load of metal, winch might include scrap material, or pig iron, or iron ore.

Vso that it becomes apparent that, when a charging box containing such a load is lifted through 'a detachable connection at one end of said charging box, the forces eiective at the points of connection are of-a very high order. 'It the parts do not nt and seat properly, and if any portions interfere or bind so as to interfere with the proper seating of the parts which are supposed to distribute and carry the intensiiedforces, there is a great `likelihood that either portions of the charging box forming the socket connection, or portions of the charging peel are likely to be subjected yto increased stress and strain, particularly under the intense heat of the furnace, al1 of which is likely t0 result in injury or fracture of portions of the charging box. socket, or of the peel arm itself.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved Apeel or arm for charging boxes that will overcome or minimize the objections and difficulties encountered in the prior art structures land practices as above noted.

Generally stated, the character of the improved peel may be considered from two aspects, one aspect relating to refinements of proportioning and relating cooperating parts of the peel head, and4 the co-acting socket portion of the charging box, which refinements serve to assure a more uni. form distribution of load stresses when the single peel arm is used with any one of a plurality of charging boxes,` and a second aspect to providing a series of longitudinal corrugations throughout the length of the body portion of the peel arm,

between-the base :and the neck portions respectively of the peel, so that an arm of maximum strength with a minimum of metal may be ob tained, the corrugations serving both to strengthen and stiften the arm, and to also serve to withstand theexpansive and contractive forces incident to the high temperatures to which the arm is,subjected,and to the subsequent cooling. By

the employment of the corrugations, in addition to the strengthening and stiiening of the arm, the likelihood of surface cracks, and the more serious formation of the deeper cracks and fractures, are minimized, if not eliminated.

A further feature is the provision of ventilating apertures of suitable number and disposition extending through the wall of the corrugated egress of entrained heated air to provide amore assauts even and uniform cooling olf ofthe interior and exterior walls of vthe peel.

Various arrangements and disposition of the corrugations may bev employed on the outside,

and/or on the inside wall oi'l the hollow tubularlike peel or arm, but preferably the corrugations are disposed longitudinally of the peel and uniformly throughout substantially the thickness of the metal stockforming the body portion of the peel or arm.

A peel is provided having a base and body portion, formed as a tubular or hollow member, which is tapering substantially -uniformly from t the base toward a smaller end at the other end of the body portion, thus making what might be generally considered as being of frusto-conical form,

and adapts itself readily for casting. However, if desired, the corrugated body portion may be separately formed, and the base and neck and head portions may be placed in proper relative position, and the parts assembled and secured to gether by a suitable welding operation.

One selected embodiment is shown and described heein forY purposes of illustration, but it is understood thatavarious changes in detail and arrangement may be made within the knowledge of those skilled in the art, without departing fromv the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the peel orarm, .indicating at' the head portion of the peel a broken fragment of the end portion o! the charging box, in dotted line position, showing the relative relation between thevarious portions of the peel head and the load carrying recessed ortapered vertical ange face thereof, and the loadcarrying cooperatingvertical flange portions of the socket at one end of the charging box;

Fig. 2 isa longitudinal section taken on the llne and looking in the direction ofthe arrows II--II of Fig. 1; y

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the nec portion of the peel taken on the line'and looking in the direction of the arrows III-III'of Fig. 1, showing more clearly the vertically disposed recessed or tapered ange faces of the peel head;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the peel body, taken on the line and looking in the directio'n of the arrows IIV-IV of Fig. 1, more clearly showing the character of the longitudinal corrugations on the inner and outer walls of the tubular-like peel Abody tilating apertures;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through another partpf the corrugated peel body portion, taken on the line and looking in the direction of th' arrows V-V of Fig. 1; and

Fig-6 is a section of a fragment of the end of the peel arm including the neck portion and the peel head, said section being taken on the: line VI--VI and looking in the direction of the arrows gud also showing the ven-` o Fig'. 3, and shows more clearly the manner in' which the face of the horizontal head flange ISb extending downwardly below /the neck portion 6, is recessed or depressed from the load bearing face of the oppositely and outwardly extending vertical peelv head flanges, il, IIS so that said recessed face of the horizontal ilange will be free and clear of the tie bar connecting the lower end of the vertioalflanges 20 of the socket portion l'l at one end of the charging box.

In the preferred form as shown in the drawingl the peel arm includes a tubular-like base portion i, having an inner tapering wall 2, which' vforms a' frusto-conical-like inner -wall portion which may serve as a socket portion to receive a member of corresponding form thereimto serve as a 'support for the Y member (not shown); forming a portion of the charging machine, and the manipulating mechaxiism thereof for imparting movement and motion of various kinds to the peel or arm. In order to provide a locking relation between a portion of the conventionalcharging machine (not shown) which is inserted within the base portion of the peel, suitable keyways or locking apertures i may be provided ,onopposite sides of the base, in which apertures suitable locking keys or strips may be insertedwhich lock the parts together.

The corrugated body portion', designated generally by the reference character 4, extends outward from the base portion and is of hollow or 'tubular-like form which tapers inwardly as the body portion extends outwardly from the base,

forming also a frusto-conical-like form.

The outer end of the body portion 4 terminates in a neck portion B, at the outer end of which'is disposed the head portion of the peel designated generally by the reference character 5,. 'I'he head portion 6 is shown disposed in load carrying relation with a socket portion l, the socket portion and its relation to one end of the charging box being shown Iin dotted line position. g

The charging box is, designated generally by the reference character 8, nand is shown as in: cluding an end wall s and a. downwardly extending tapering wall portion I0, which forms` the bottom portion of the socket, the wall I0 extending from a point in the plane of the bottom of the chargingbox, upwardly to a point about midway between the top and bottom of the charging box, where the upper end of the wall i0 merges with the end 8 of the charging box. Such an arrangement and disposition of parts, constituting a portion of the socket, forms a socket receptacle which is open at the top and permits free movement of the full thickness of the peel head, from the top of the charging box, down to a distance equal to substantially one-half thel height of the charging box. l

l The portion of the peel head referred to as being of full thickness of such head portion is the central portion il. From this central portion i3 the peel head tapers outwardly in opposite directions, forming the tapering portions Il andIZ,

so 1, with the peel or arm in any one of two positions in which the peel head `occupies di'erent `positions displaced from each other by an angularfmovement of 180 about the horizontal axis of the peel. In other words, without the oppo- 1), such socket is provided with side sitely tapering head portion there would only be one ppsitlonin which the peel head could be moved downwardly to occupy a position Within the socket portion 1 disposed at the end ofthe charging box; i

Referring for the moment to the character of the socket portion (shown in dotted lines in Fig. portions 2,2. on opposite sides of the charging `box, and extending beyondthe end 8, and xthe tapering wall` I0, of said charging box. 'I'he outermostend of peel arm. the supportingassauts w3 the sides 22 of the socket terminates in inwardly extending vertical flange portions 2l2l extending at right angles to the sides 22. The-inner vertical edge of the flanges I5 forms an open portion or what might be referred to as a wide open- 6 ing or recess of a dimension suitable to receive the neck portion t of the peel or arm, in order to permit the, head portion 5 of the peel to be moved downward within the socket 1 to the position indicated in Fi'g. 1, relative to the socket 1 andthe I0 jacent the bottom face of the neck 5, `when the l5 head is in functioningv position within the socket 1. 'I'he upper edge of the tie rod, extending transversely across the end of the charging box `and connecting the vertical flange portions 20-2 of 'the socket, and the outer face of such 20 tie rod, are designated and identified in Fig. Iof the drawing by reference numeral 23. The plane of the inner vertical face of the spaced vertical flanges 20 is identified by the reference numeral 2l `in Fig. 1. face of the spaced vertical flanges 20-20 is coincident and in bearing engagement with the vertical flange faces I4 and I5, respectively. (see Fig. 3) of the peel headwhen in position within the socket 1 as shown in Fig. 1.

A feature of some importance, from the aspect of the present invention, is that the faces Il and I 5 of the vertical flange portions of -the peel head extend from the outer flange edges I1 and I9 of the peel head, so that the opposite inner recessed :i5

or depressed edge I6 (see Fig. 3) of the'vertical flange portions I4, I5 at a point adjacent the recessed horizontal flanges IGa, lib, extending from the top and bottom of the neck portion 6 of the peel head does not occupy the same vertical i the fact that recessed or spaced portions IBa, IGb 50 are thus formed, which would be free and clear, and out of contact with any uneven surface on the adjacent face of the tie bar at the lower end of the vertically spaced flange portions 2l-20' of the socket.

A relative arrangement and relation of the parts, as above noted, present a substantially continuous uniform bearing portion for carrying the load when the peel head `is positioned with-4 in the socket l, said portion of bearing contact, which takes the load, being along the face of the vertical anges I4 and I5 of the peel head portion, and the contacting face of the vertical flanges -20 of the socket.

Such an arrangement minimizes the likelihood 55 box 8 from one end thereof. Such fractures have 70 occurred in the'past where there has been inter-l ference or contact between portions of the crossbar intermediate its length, and contact or interference with the horizontal flanges lia, Ib (if such faces are not recessed, as herein disclosed) 75 Suchvertical plane at the inner adjacent portions of the vertical flanges Il', I5 of the peel head. which interference and contactbetween such parts, resulting from unevenness of the surfaces, has resulted in high concentrated stresses and ,moments due to the concentrated forces of the loaded charging box.

The effect of the interfering parts, as above noted, hasbeen substantially that of the very heavy wight of the loaded charging box actingl through a relatively long moment arm, the outer end of which passes through the center of gravity of the/loaded charging box and acting about a pivot point, the reactive point for such a turning moment being the contact of the uneven surfaces between a portion of the connecting tie rod extending between the'vertical'fianges of the socket, and an interfering or contacting portion of the' .horizontal flange. Ilb (or |6a, depending upon the position of the peel head 5 when lowered into the socket portion I at one end of the charging box 8) of the peel head at such intermediate point.

In other words, the force effective tending to cause fracture of the interfering parts, including either the vertical flanges of the socket portion, or the connecting tie portionywould be substantially in inverse proportion to the length of the moment arms through which the forces are effective. For example, if the differences in the length of these respective moment Larms might be represented as 100 to 1, and if it be assumed that the combined weight of the charging box and its load is one ton acting at the end of the longer moment arm, it would impose a force of 100 tons at the reactive point at the end of the smaller moment arm; accordingly, therefore, the reactive point at the end of the shorter or unit mo-` ment arm would be required to withstand -such an intense pressure, in order to avoid fracture under the above assumed conditions, referred to merely for the purposes of illustrationl of the intensifled character of the forces effective between the head of the peel arm, and the various portions of the socket in which said head is positioned atone end of the loaded charging box. Where the charging box and peel head are moved to a position within the open hearth furnaceduring charging, the parts are subjected to intense heat, so that/,parts subjected to intense stresses are likely to become deformed or warped under such conditions.

Various locking means may be employed for locking or securing the peel head 5 in lifting or functioning relation with the socket portion 1 at the end of the charging box. Some forms heretofore employed in the art have provided a central passage V25 extending axially of the neck and head portion of the peel or arm, a suitable locking member being provided for locking the peel head and charging box in lifting relation. If desired, a locking, lifting relation between the peel head and the charging box may be provided by a transverse aperture or slotted portion 24, which may be adapted to receive a locking key or bar (not shown) which may be passed through the aperture 24 and a similar aperture in the end portion of the socket charging box (not shown).

In order to provide a strengthening feature for the body portion I of the peel, intermediate the base I and neck portion 6, and in ordersto pro vide a body portion affording free and uniform expansion and contraction due to heating and l cooling of the peel, and thus minimize the tendency to form cracks or fractures due to intensified stresses or'to the heating and cooling, longitudinal corrugations are 'formed in the peel body -portion l. Preferably, the corrugations,

shown in the drawing as including on the outer' wall or surface of the body a convex portion 23 and a concave portion 2 1, are disposed longitudinally, and extend uniformlyA throughout the thickness of the metal stock comprising the peel body portion l, so that corrugations are also Such an arrangement of the corrugations ex-v tending longitudinally of the peel body portion 4 readily adapts .said corrugations for formation by a formed rolling operation of the peel body metal of suitable temperature, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art of rolling and metal working. As previously indicated. the longitudinally extending corrugations produce a stiil'ening eiect longitudinally oi' the arm, tend- I ing to resist bending moments of the arm when changes-andv modications in arrangement and detail construction may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and' scope ofthe invention. as hereinafter claimed.

We claim: s 1..Jln a charging peel .or arm of the class described, including a neck portion, and a head portion at the end of the neck portion, said head portion including vertical load-bearing flanges on opposite sides of said head portion, the lower ends of said vertical load-bearing flanges extending below theneck portion, a recessed horizontal downwardly extending flange below the neck portion, said horizontal ange extending between the lower end portions of the vertical ilanges which extend below the neck portion of the peel, the recessed face portion of the horizontal downwardly exten g ange being out of alignment with and'in a diiferent vertical plane from the load-bearing portions of said \vertica1 flanges. whereby said horizontal downwardly extending flange is substantially relieved of any load-bearing-function. v

2. A charging peel or arm as dened in claim- :5 wherein said charging peel or arm includes a .I hollow body` portion, said hollow body portion subjected to'load and heat. Buch corrugated structure permits a metal stock ofminimum thickness to be employed. It is understood that the corrugations ymay be otherwise arranged than; extending throughout t the full longitudinal extent of the peel body portion I. Under certain conditions, the corrugations may be arranged circumferentially throughout certain portions of the length of the Deelbody.

'Suitable Ventilating vapertures may be provided between the interior hollow portion of the peel body and the exterior. Such Ventilating apertures facilitate the egress of entrained heated air to provide a more even cooling on' of the interior being provided with longitudinally extending corrugations, whereby said corrugations allow freer y and more uniform expansion and contraction vupon cooling of the peel, and minimizes the likelihood ofr the occurrence Lof excessive', non-uniform and concentrated strains and stresses, and also minimizes the likelihood of a formation of seams and cracks. and enables a maximum peel strength with minimum weight of metal to be obtained.

3. A hollow charging peelwcompnrising a base portion, a head portion, and a hollow body portion connecting said base and head portions, said body portion being providedrwith longitudinally extending corrugations, said hollow portion of the peel 4being provided with Ventilating apertures spaced apart longitudinally of the peel, whereby said corrugations and Ventilating apertures cooperate to provide a more even cooling of the walls of the peel.

' JOHN W. FORSYTHE.

ALBERT` T. REICHENBACH. 

